Comprehensive Administrative Review: What you need to know

In April 2017, University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Steve Wrigley announced a system-wide initiative focused on improving administration through creating efficiencies, streamlining processes and finding ways to be more effective with USG resources.  Known as the Comprehensive Administrative Review (CAR), the initiative will provide an in-depth look at non-faculty administrative functions across the entire USG. Augusta University and AUHealth are included in this initiative and the on-campus effort has been started.  Without too many exceptions, this initiative will affect just about everyone across the campus and in all organizational units!

The administrative review is intended to ultimately result in opportunities for savings to be redirected into our core missions of teaching, research and clinical service. The intention is to provide greater affordability and access for our students, strengthen the core enterprise, and improve student and patient support services.

You have a role in this effort and we need your help because each institution within the USG is given the opportunity to tell its own story to the fullest. The USG has contracted with the Huron Consulting Group for assistance with this major initiative and it is our responsibility to ensure they understand the distinctiveness of our mission here at AU.  As the only academic health center in the USG, we are truly unique and we’ll need everyone’s help to communicate the work required to support our missions of teaching, research and clinical service.

Before arriving on campus in September, the consultants are gathering facts by analyzing data pulled from our information systems and departments.  Many of you are assisting already with that effort.  They are also going to be gathering information in various ways; an Opportunity Identification Survey about our services (those that are best in class vs. those that have room for improvement); and an Activity Assessment about our employees’ efforts related to administrative responsibilities.  Then, when they are on-campus, they will also be arranging interviews and focus group discussions related to the information they’ve gathered ahead of time.

Who is included in the CAR?

All employees with substantive administrative responsibilities, including those in academic, research and clinical areas, will be expected to participate in at least the Activity Assessment. Some may be invited to complete the Opportunity Identification Survey.  Because the CAR initiative focuses only on administrative activities and roles, only employees who have 100 percent of their time and effort focused on teaching, research, and/or clinical services will be excluded.

In the coming weeks, everyone should expect to begin to hear more about the CAR initiative including from supervisors and the departmental Process Champions who have been appointed to serve as liaisons between all of our different employee groups and the local project team.

Before all of the surveys start (in early August), please take a moment to browse through some of the online resources available to everyone including the USG’s CAR FAQ website. For more information about Augusta University’s participation in the CAR initiative, visit the AU CAR website or email your questions to the CAR team.

Participation in the initiative is vital to the future success of Augusta University and AUHealth. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and diligence as this initiative gets underway.

Sincerely,

The AU CAR Communications Team